There are over 500 different varieties or types of pecans. They are named after a wide array of things, mostly Native American tribes, the discoverer or the person who grafted it. Even with more than 500 variations, the majority of pecan production comes from just a handful of varieties. The difference in each pecan variety comes down to two main distinctions: the size of the nut and the thickness of the shell.
Pawnee
The most planted pecan in North America. A Pawnee pecan is a hearty and very large pecan. It originated in Brownwood, Texas (1963). It has a firm texture with good oil and almost a “buttery” flavor.
Sioux
These pecans are smaller nuts than most varieties grown but it is an excellent shelling pecan of extra-high quality. The smooth, bright kernels have high quality, an excellent appearance, and a high oil content of excellent flavor
Desireable
A regular and heavy producer of large, round, fat pecans with excellent flavor. The nuts are well shaped and abundantly filled. The Desirable Pecan tree is a very large papershell nut and the pecan kernel is loaded with a nutty flavor that is crunchy to the taste. The shell is medium to soft.
Podsednik
Being from Texas, this is the LARGEST pecan. Originated as seedling planted by Robert Podsednik in Arlington, TX, in 1968. A good source of protein and unsaturated fats. The antioxidants and plant sterols found in pecans reduce high cholesterol by reducing the LDL cholesterol levels. Great flavor.